Combined table and desk.



l. E. DEEVERS.

COMBINED TABLE AND DESK.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I9I6..

Patented Illy 3, 1917..

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

J. E. DEEVRS.

COMBINED TABLE ANU DESK.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 8, 1916.

Jllj, 19mm@ Julys, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

` and desk showing the desk its elevated position.

JAMES EDMUND DEEVERS, 0F KEENE, CALIFORNIA.

COMBINED TABLE AND DESK.

Specification of Letters Patent.A

Patented July 3, 19117.

Application led February 8, 1916. Serial No. 76,930. i,

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES EDMUND Dnnvnns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Keene, in the county of Kern and State oi' California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Combined Tables and Desks, of which the following is a speciication.

This invention relates to a combined table and desk.

It is the object of this invention to provide a combined table and desk in `which the desk portion may be raised and lowered in relation to the table and when in its lowermost position to dispose the top of the desk portion flush with the top of the table portion and thereby. form a continuous table to lAnother object is to provide means for raising and lowering the desk portion.

A further object is to provide a mechanism for raising and lowering the desk portion with means for automatically locking the desk portion in its uppermost position, said raising and lowering mechanism and locking means being operable from the front of the table.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a view of the combined table portion thereof in Fig. 2 is a plan view of same.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view showing the desk portion in its lowermost position.

Fig. 4 is-a similar view showing the desk portion in its elevated position and illustrating. the manner of raising and lowering same and showing the means for locking it in its uppermost position.

More specically, 6 indicates the legs, 7 the side rails, and 8 the end rails of the table. A table top 9 is carried by the legs and rails and extends throughout the length of the table in the usual manner, but terminates short of the rear edge thereof, forming an open space bounded'on the ends by the rails 8 and on the sides bythe rail 7 and the rear edge of the table top panel.

rlhe present invention resides in a desk portionv 10 disposed in rthe open spaceand adapted to be raised and lowered in relation to the table, and in means for operating this closure for the open l desk portion. rll`l1e desk portion 10 is formed with a top panel 11 which is adapted to 11e f iush with the table top 9 when the desk portion is in its lowermost position, as shown in Fig. 3, and to be supported by the tab-le. Mounted on the under side of the panel 11 is a housing which consists of end walls 12, a back wall 13, and a bottom wall 14, the latter being adapted to extend iush with the upper face of the table top 9 when the desk portion .10 is in its uppermost position. The space incased by the panel 11 and walls 12, 13 and 14 may be partitioned off and divided, as occasion may require, being here shown as fitted with end compartments formed by partitions 15 and as having a shelf 16 above which pigeon holes 17 and drawers 18 are provided. The interior of this housing is accessible from the front of the table when the desk portion is in its uppermost position.

Arranged beneath the rear edge, of the table top 9 is a panel 19, whichis pivoted at its lower edge to the end rails 8. This panel serves a double purpose, namely, forming a side of the housing whenv the desk portion is in its lowermost posltlon, and serving as a latch for locking and supporting the desk portion in its uppermost position. A spring 20 bears against the upper portion of the panel 19 and tends to normally dispose the latter in a slightly canted position with its upper edge projecting beyond the rear edge of the table top 9, as shown in Fig. 4. A rod 21 connects with the panel 19 and extending through the front rail 7 is litted with a hand-hold 22 by means of which the panel 19may be drawn forward in opposition to the spring 20. The handhold 22 serves as a stop to limit the rearward movement of the panel 19.

Mounted on the under side of the wall 14 is a pair of brackets 23 which extend into and are vertically slidable in channels 24 formed on the back of the panel 19. The bottom walls of the channels 24 are inclined,

thus forming the channels deeper at the bottom than at the top so that when the desk portion is moved upwardly, thebrackets 23 will crowd the panel. 19 forwardly and when the desk portion is in 'its uppermost, position, the panel 19 will be moved beneath the brackets 23 to support the desk top in its uppermost position, as shown in Fig. 4.

Various mechanisms may be employed for raising and lowering" the desk portion but the preferred means llor etl'ecting this operation consists of a rock-shaft 25 disposed beneath the table top 9 and carried by brackets 26 arranged adjagent the end rails This rock-shaft is formed with parallel aa'ms 2T at its ends which extend rearwardly and pivotallv connectwith the lower ends of links 28 depending from pivot pins 29 011 the end walls 1:2. 'lhe rock-shaft 25 is formed with a U-shaped cl'ank 30, theopen portion of which is spanned by a bracket 31 which is connected at its ends to the rock-shaft on opposite sides ot' the crank and which forms a fulcrum support for a lever 32. A sprlng 33 having one end rigidly. connected to the crank 30 and its opposite. end attached to the lever 32 forward of its fulcrum point, op-

erates to normally maintain the outer end of the lever in contact with the under side of the forward rail 7. Normally, the crank 30 extends rearwardy at a slight angle to the vertical, as shown 'in Fig. 3, when the desk portion is in its lowermost positlon with the inner end ot' the lever 32 adjacent the-connected portion of the crank.

As a means for guiding the desk portion in its vertical movement the ends thereof are itted with guide bars 34 which slidably eX- tend into guide channels 35 formed 1n the rear table legs G; the guide bars 34 being of such length as to project into the guide channels when the desk portion is in its uppermost position. v

In the operation of the invention, when it is desired to elevate the desk portion from its lowermost position, as shown in Fig. 3, to its uppermost position, shown in Fig. 4, the lever 32 is depressed, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4, thereby turning on the bracket 31. The inner end of the lever engages the connected portion of the U-shaped crank 30 and advances the latter toward the front of the table. The arms 27 then operate through the links 28 to elevate the desk portion 10,v which, in moving upwardly, causes the panel 19 to retract in opposition to the spring 20, as before described. When the desk portion reaches its uppermost position the upper edge of the panel 19 passes beneath the brackets 23, thus supporting the desk portion against downward movement. The lever 32 is then returned to its normal position, in which position it is maintained by the spring 33. The interior of the desk portion is then accessible from the front of the table, as shown in Fig. 1.

When it is desired to conceal the desk portion, the rod 21 is pulled outwardly by the hand-hold 22 to move the panel 19 out of'enga gement with the'desk top, which will then gravitate to its lowermost position. The desk top, in movingy downwardly, will ad- Vance the crank 30 in opposition to the spring 33, which spring will then operate to cushion and yieldably voppose the downward movement of the desk portion. W hen the desk portion is in its lowermost position the top panel thereof is flush with the table top, thereby permitting the latter to be used.

as a table and at the same time closing the desk against access.

Means may be provided for locking the desk -in both its uppermost and lowermost positions. This means is here shown as'consisting of a key controlled bolt lock 36 mounted in the table top,l having a bolt which may be thrown into engagement with essential feature being to provide the table with a movable desk portion which lnay be lowered into the table or eleva-ted to project thereabove.

. Various arrangements and detail construction of parts may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A combined table and desk, comprising a table portion, a vertically slidable desk portion foldable within the table portion, and a pivoted panel beneath the top of the table portion adapted to swing into engagement with the bottom of said desk portion to support the same when in its uppermost position. l

2. A combined table and desk, comprising a table portion, a'vertically movable desk 3. A combined table and desk,'compris ing a table portion, a vertically movable desk portion mounted thereonv and normally gravitating to its' loweimost position, a lever, means operated by said lever for elevating the desk portion, a spring pressed pivoted panel carried by the table adapted to automatically engage theV 'desk portion to retain it in its uppermost position and 'to close the desk portion when in fits lowersaid engagement Wlth the des pormost position, and means for movin panel out' of tion.

4. A combined table and desk, comprising a table portion, a desk portion slidably and vertically movable in relation to the table portion, normally vgravitating to a loweruppermost position, comprising a link connections between I a table portion,

Leashes@ -in lts uppermost position.

5. Acombined table and desk, comprising a table portion, a desk portion slidably and vertically movable in relation to the table portion, normally gravitating to a lowery most VVposition within the table portion, a

rock shaft, toggle link. connections between said rock shaft and the desk portion, a lever for actuating the rock shaft to elevate the desk portion, and a pivoted panel forl automatically engaging the desk portion to hold it in its uppermost position forming a closure for the desk portion when in its lowermost position.

6. A combined table and desk, comprising a desk portion slidably and vertically movable in relation tp the table portion, normally gravitating, to a lowermost position within the table portion, a rock shaft, toggle link connections between said rock shaft and the desk portion, a lever for actuating the rock shaft to elevate the desk portion, and means for automatically engaging the desk portion to hold it in its spring pressed pivoted panel carried by the table portion forming a closure for 'the desk portion when the latter is in its lowermost position.

i 7. A combined table and desk, comprising a table portion, a desk portion vertically movable in relation to the table portion normally gravitating 'to a lowermost position within the table portion, a rock shaft, toggle said rock shaft and the desk portion, a lever for actuating the rock shaft to elevate the desk portion, a

Imanually Imoved out of engagement with said desk portion.

8. A combined table and desk, comprising a 'table portion, two pairs of legs thereon, one pair of the legs formed with guide channels, a vertically slidable desk portion, a panel hinged atl its lower edge and adapted to engage the bottomof said desk portion when in its uppermost position and to close it when in its lowermost position, and means for moving 'the panel out of engagement with the desk portion.

9. A combined table and desk,'comprising a table portion, two pairs of leg members thereon, side panels connecting the adjacent leg members, a vertically slidable desk portion4 downwardly extending guide bars thereon movable in one pair of leg members and a closure panel pivoted on the side panels adapted to close the desk portion when in its lowermost position and to support it when in its uppermost position.

10. In a combination table and desk, a table portion, a vertically movable desk portion carried thereby, a rock shaft car- Tied by the table portion, toggle links connecting the rock shaft to the desk portion, a U shaped crank on said rock-shaft, a bracket spanning the crank, a lever fulcrumed on said bracket, and a spring having one end rigidly connecting the crank and its opposite end attached to the lever serving to maintain the lever in its uppermost position when released irrespective of the position of the crank.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specicati-on.

JAMES EDMUND DEEVERS. 

